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YouTube as a source of patient information on external cephalic version: cross sectional study
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  • Merle van Dijk,
  • A. van der Marel,
  • Leonie van Rheenen-Flach,
  • Wessel Ganzevoort,
  • Etelka Moll,
  • Fedde Scheele,
  • J. Velzel
Merle van Dijk
OLVG

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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A. van der Marel
Tergooiziekenhuizen Locatie Blaricum
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Leonie van Rheenen-Flach
OLVG
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Wessel Ganzevoort
Amsterdam UMC Locatie AMC
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Etelka Moll
OLVG
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Fedde Scheele
OLVG
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J. Velzel
Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep
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Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the available information on YouTube about External Cephalic Version (ECV) and assess the quality and usefulness. Study design A YouTube search was performed with five search terms, selecting the first 35 results. A quality assessment scale was developed to quantify the accuracy of medical information of each video. Main outcome measure was usefulness score. The videos ware divided into useful, slightly useful and not useful. Source of upload was divided into five subcategories, and medical or non-medical. Secondary outcomes included: audience engagement, misinformation and encouraging or discouraging ECV. Results 70 videos were analysed, only 14.3% was defined as useful. Every useful video was uploaded by educational channels or health care professionals, and 80% was from a medical source. Over half of the not useful videos were uploaded by childbirth attendants and vloggers. Childbirth attendants scored highest on audience engagement. The presence of misinformation was low throughout all groups. Two thirds of the vloggers encouraged ECV to their viewers. Conclusion A minor percentage of videos on ECV on YouTube is considered useful. Vloggers often encouraged their audience to opt for ECV. Groups with a higher audience engagement, had a lower usefulness score compared to the groups with a lower audience engagement but a higher usefulness score. Sources from medically accurate videos should cooperate with sources with a high audience engagement to contribute to the uptake of ECV by creating more awareness and a positive attitude and thereby lowering the chance for a caesarean delivery because of term breech.